Razor blade sharpener



May 1, 1934. G. L. KANE RAZOR BLADE SHARPENER Filed Sept. 17, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet l May 1, 1934. e. KANE RAZOR BLADE SHARPENER Filed Sept. 17, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 lli Patented May 1, 1934 PATENT FHQE Glenn L. Kane,

Sunmount, N. Y.

Application September 17, 1931, Serial No. 563,397

5 Claims.

The object of this invention to provide a simple, compact and easily manipulated device whereby safety razor blades may be efiiciently sharpened in an expeditious manner. lhe invention seeks to provide a mechanism, for the stated purpose, in which an abrading element will be caused to move over he edge of the blade from end to end thereof and in which the blade will be held firmly to the abrading elements so that the desired bevel or angle may be readily produced. Another object of the invention is to provide a blade holder so constructed and mounted that the blade will be firmly held and may be easily reversed so that both surfaces of the cutting edge may be treated. The stated objects, and other objects which will incidentally appear in the course of the following description, are attained in such an'apparatus as is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and the invention resides in certain novel features which will be particularly defined in the appended claims.

In the drawings,

Figure 1 is a plan view of a device embodying the invention,

Fig. 2 is a similar View, partly broken away and in section, with the upper member, or cover, of the casing removed but the side edges thereof shown in horizontal section,

Fig. 3 is a vertical section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2,

Fig. 4. is a transverse section on the line 4-l of Fig. 1,

Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view showing the several elements of the blade holder disassembled but in their proper relative positions.

In carrying out the invention, there is provided a casing consisting of a base plate 1 having a flange 2 extending around its entire edge and a cover, or upper member, 3 having a circumscribing rim 4 which is adapted to fit about the flange 2 and rest upon the edge of the base plate, at the outer side of said flange, and be detachably secured to the flange by screws 5 or similar fastenings. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the casing is of a general elliptical form so as to accommodate and house the working mechanism without excessive bulk and in the cover, at one side of the center thereof, is provided an opening 6 through which the blade holder may pass to hold the blade to the abrading elements, as will be readily understood. Within the casing a frame '7 is secured upon the base plate 1 and is formed with a post or standard 8 at one side which rises through the opening 6, as shown clearly in Figs. 1 and 4, while, at the opposite side, the frame is formed (Cl. 5l.125)

tions of the frame 7, and on the major axis of the 6 casing, are shafts 10 and 11 which have their upper ends extending through the cover 3, as shown clearly in Fig. 3. These shafts are identical in structure except that the shaft 11 has a reduced externally threaded tenon 12 at its upper end onto which is threaded a crank 13 whereby the shaft may be rotated when the device is to be used. It will be noted, upon reference to Fig. 3, that the crank extends somewhat from the casing so that there will be ample clearance to avoid striking the thumb of the user who holds the device in one hand and manipulates the crank with the other hand. To permit the crank to be conveniently and comfortably grasped by the user, a handle member 14 is pivotally mounted at the end of the crank, to be disposed at a right angle thereto, and a stop finger 15 is formed on the crank to bear against one side of the handle, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, so that the handle will be retained in its upright position while in use. When the device is not in use, the handle may be swung about its pivot so as to lie parallel with the shaft-engaging shank of the crank and the crank may be detached so that space may be saved in storing. Upon the shafts l0 and 11 are secured intermeshing gear wheels 16 and 17 which are of the same size and rotate at the same speed. The gears are keyed to the shafts in a well known manner and upon the shafts, immediately under the gear wheels, are secured collars 18 which aid in supporting the wheels and maintaining them in the intermeshing relation while, upon the frame 7, under the gear wheels at the point of intermeshing thereof, a roller 19 is mounted to further aid in maintaining the proper relation of the parts. Eccentrically secured upon each shaft, immediately above the respective gear wheel, is a disk 20, the upper surface and margin of which is covered with leather or some other abrading material, indicated at 21, and the margin of this abrading cover is drawn down closely about the periphery of the respective disk and held thereon by a resilient retaining ring 22, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. The disks are preferably oblate in form and it will be noted, upon reference to Figs. 2 and 3, that when either disk is projecting from the shaft on which it is secured toward the other shaft, it will bridge the intermeshing points of contact between the gears and, in that position, is adapted to bear against the under surface of the blade and will move upon said surface from end to end of the blade as rotation is imparted to the disk.

The blade, indicated at 23, is held to the abrading elements by a holder consisting of mating jaws 24 and 25 between which the blade is inserted, as shown clearly in Fig. 4, and these jaws are formed at the inner ends of the side members 26 of a substantially U-shaped resilient clamp member, a collar, ring or loop 27 being slidably fitted about this U-shaped member so that the jaws may be held in firm engagement with the blade disposed between them. The shoulder or bridging web 28 of the U-shaped clamping member is connected to a clip 29 by a pivot 30 disposed at the center of the clip and said bridging portion so that the clamp may be rotated about its own longitudinal axis to reverse the blade in an obvious manner. The clip is pivoted at its ends upon the upper end of the post 8 and may be rocked vertically thereon so that the blade holder may be raised from or lowered to the abrading elements in an obvious manner. A plurality of pivot openings are provided at the ends of the clip so that it may be pivoted at a higher or lower point to set the blade at a desired angle.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it is thought the use and advantages of the device will be readily understood and appreciated. When a blade is to be sharpened, the ring or loop 27 is slid toward the jaws 24 and 25 so that the jaws may spring apart or be separated sufiiciently 'to admit the razor blade between them. The

blade having been inserted, the ring or collar or loop 27 is slid over the clamp toward the shoulder thereof and will thereby bind the jaws against the opposite sides of the blade so that the blade will be firmly held. If preferred, the surfaces of the side members 26 may be knurled or roughened to avoid slipping of the collar 27 from a set position. The holder is then permitted to drop through the opening 6 so that the projecting edge of the blade will rest upon the upper surface of an abrading disk 20. The crank 13 and handle 14 having been properly fitted to the shaft 11, the crank is rotated and this rotation will be transmitted directly to the gear 16, and the abrading disk immediately over said gear, and from the gear 16, will be transmitted to the gear 17 and the cooperating abrading disk. The disks Will then successively and alternately ride under the blade and move from end to end thereof, as will be understood, so that the desired sharpened edge will be quickly produced, pressure being exerted by the thumb of the user upon the bladeholder to maintain the contact between the blade and the disks.

The device is exceedingly simple and compact, may be very easily manipulated, will occupy very little space when not in use and will sharpen the blades very efficiently and expeditiously.

Having thus described the invention, I claim:

1. A razor blade sharpening mechanism comprising a casing having an opening in its upper side, horizontally disposed eccentrically mounted abrading disks within the casing arranged to alternately pass beneath the opening, intermeshing gears disposed below the disks, and means for rotating said gears and simultaneously rotating the disks whereby the disks will alternately reciprocate along the edge of a razor blade presented thereto through the opening in the casmg.

2. A razor blade sharpening mechanism comprising a casing having an opening in its top, abrading disks eccentrically mounted within the casing and oppositely disposed, intermeshing gears disposed immediately under the abrading disks, means for rotating said gears whereby to simultaneously rotate the disks and cause them to alternately move along the edge of a blade presented thereto through the opening in the casing, a frame within the casing supporting the disks and the gears, and a roller mounted on said frame below the disks at the point of intermeshing thereof whereby to aid in supporting the gears.

3. A razor blade sharpener mechanism comprising a pair of horizontally disposed eccentrically mounted abrading discs having their operative faces constantly disposed in a horizontal plane, means for simultaneously rotating the discs, and means for holding a razor blade with its edge in the plane of the operative faces of the discs whereby said discs alternately will move in opposite directions along the edge of the blade from end to end thereof.

4. A razor blade sharpening mechanism comprising a casing having an opening in its top, a post within the casing rising from said opening, a blade holder mounted upon the upper end of said post for relative universal movement to depend therefrom through the opening in the casing, and a pair of horizontally disposed abrading elements eccentrically mounted in the casing and having their operative faces constantly disposed in the same horizontal plane and adapted alternately to pass under and act upon the edge of a blade in the holder.

5. In a razor blade sharpening mechanism, a casing having an opening in its top, a stationary post at one side of the opening, a clip pivoted at its ends upon the upper end of the post for movement in a vertical plane, a clamp pivoted to the side of said clip for movement in a plane at substantially right angles to the plane of movement of the clip, means for retaining a blade within the clamp with its cutting edge extending within the opening, and coacting abrading elements mounted for rotation in the casing and arranged to alternately pass beneath the opening with their operative faces constantly disposed in the same plane to act upon the edge of the blade held by the clamp.

GLENN L. KANE. [L. 5.] 

